I am a diehard fan of the A Song of Ice and Fire Series, and buy pretty much anything released that is related to it. I was really excited about this cookbook. I haven't cooked too much lately, and thought this could give me some inspiration. Most of the dishes are named after a character or location. MANY of the recipes are medieval-esque, as you may expect, so you need an open mind. Some are really bizarre and I think more of a joke. An example is the Khaleesi's Heart (yuck!).
WARNING: there are some minor SPOILERS or at least some that *allude* to spoilers. An example is Late Lord Frey's Leek Soup. I would not read that recipe's description until you're done with the third book. Also, unless you have read all five books, some of the recipe names will be meaningless to you. An example is The Blind Girl's Piping Hot Fish and Pepper Breakfast.
WORST PART OF THIS BOOK - there are no pictures :( None. Not even one. Was very disappointed by that.
This is how the recipes are broken down:
Chapter 1 - Heroic Mornings: Breakfasts for Warriors
16 recipes.
Lots of biscuits, sausage, and bacon!
Chapter 2 - A Morsel in a Moment: Appetizers and Snacks
22 Recipes
Here there are some odd recipes that you may or may not want to experiment with. Some notables are Ghiscari Spiced Honeyed Locusts (yes, real locusts), Desperate Travelers' Acorn Paste, and Robert's Fried Golden Goose Eggs.
Chapter 3 - Something Off the Sideboard: Sides and Bread
20 Recipes
This is mostly vegetables and bread.
Chapter 4 - Fireside Fare: Soups, Stews, and Salads
28 Recipes
Hope you like salads! Some notables are The Hand's Daughter's Pumpkin Soup, Wun Weg Wen Dar Wun's Giant Salad, and Cersei's Greens Dressed with Apples and Pine Nuts (yum!)
Chapter 5 - Feast for Friends & Enemies: Main Courses
38 Recipes
The core of the book, and there is plenty. Lots of fish and meat, with some odd types of meat at that. Some of the strange ones are Bran Stark's Pigeon Pie and Khaleesi's Heart. However, most of these look pretty darn delicious, with some notables being Dothraki Duck, Brynden Tully's Blackened Trout with Dornish Gremolata, Barristan the Bold's Wild Boar Ribs with Dragon Pepper, and Crab of the North.
Chapter 6 - Deceitful Delights: Desserts, Drinks, and "Poisonous" Cocktails
30 Recipes
Wow. Well, if you've read the books, you should know how much those Westerosi nobility love their alcohol, so this is to be expected. There are 12 dessert recipes, including Arya's Lemon Cakes (YES! but it should be Sansa's Lemon Cakes, those are her favorites), Samwell's Blueberry Ricotta Tart, and The Vale Summer Berries and Cream Tart. The remaining 18 are all alcohol recipes, including wine, beer, and cocktails. Some very interesting ones are Tears of Lys (I'm too scared to try!), Manticore Venom, The Strangler, Direwolf Ale, Cersei's Plum Wine, and Lannister Gold IPA.
There is also an appendix that explains the standard brewing process.
I would have LOVED some pictures, but this book is a decent reflection of dishes from the books, considering that it's unofficial and all. I also like how every recipe has a "Word of Wisdom" snippet on the page that you gives you a helpful little tip. Definitely a good book if you don't mind some interesting types of food!
However, I have already pre-ordered
A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook, and since that is the OFFICIAL cookbook, I would recommend waiting for that. It was written with the assistance and approval of GRRM and will have more "authentic" asoiaf meals.
"Even when he fears that he is being led into a trap and that the dish before him may be poisoned, Tyrion cannot help but acknowledge his desire for just a taste of it. The mushrooms before him glistening with butter and smelling of garlic make his mouth water, and it’s nob wonder. Poisoned or not, this savory dish would tempt just about anyone." (
